North Michigan News

A recent letter from Leland Public Schools Superintendent Stephanie Long calling for students and parents to be active in the Black Lives Matter protest movement has raised questions in the community, following so closely after the elimination of all Spanish language education in a community that is 10% Hispanic.

Ben LaCross, a business owner and the spouse of the recently laid-off senior Spanish teacher, said that he found the timing of Long's letter suspicious, given the school board vote to end all Spanish language programs two weeks prior, according to Michigan Capitol Confidential. LaCross said he questioned how committed Long could be to the advancement of the entire black, indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) community when educating students in other languages and cultures is being eliminated.

Joan Ursu, another resident who had four children graduate from the school system, responded to Long in a letter that was also sent to the school board. In the letter, she said she found some of the implied accusations of Long's letter insulting.

“On a personal level, I was not at all prepared for what your letter conveyed,” Ursu's wrote, according to Michigan Capitol Confidential. “While I am here only speaking for myself, I find that the language used and the tone itself insulting -- painting with a broad brush the idea that those in our community, whom you acknowledge at the outset you do not know, are racist and ‘privileged’ by virtue of our skin color alone. It is beyond insulting. It is untrue.”

In her letter, Long stated that she was only sharing her own opinions regarding race relations. However, she added further into the letter that the opinions she expressed were in keeping with the International Baccalaureate program the school system uses.